Reading Roundup: August 2017
Beartown by Fredrik Backman I don't like hockey, but that didn't really matter because this book is not about hockey (despite the fact that hockey takes up a lot of space in the narrative). It's really about family, and community, and relationships; I was particularly impressed with Backman's ability to fully realize so many different characters and to keep all the different threads of the story so tightly woven. It's been nearly two months since I read this book and I'm still thinking about it. The Fire by Night by Teresa Messineo This book had potential, but it just didn't work for me. It alternated between two stories, which made it hard to keep track of either of them and cut into the momentum of the plot. I also never quite connected with either of the main characters enough to understand their motivations, especially since one of the stories lacked a clear narrative arc. This could have been a much better book (or maybe even two better books...